Alien Flower

I went down to the pond again today with forum members Greg Giesing and Chris Knight. Not much birdie activity today, so after Greg left, Chris and I went looking for flowers. We got some nice ones, but one in particular caught our attention. It had several bloom configurations, and looked like something that you'd find on another planet. 8)

I have no idea what it is, but here are the shots that I got. If you know what it is, I'd appreciate an ID. Taken with the D2H / 300mm f2.8 + TC-14EII. I never cease to be amazed at the capabilities of this lens. ;-)

Thanks Gordon and Gale. I'm like most folks here and enjoy the compliments. 8)

I do have to add a comment on your post Gale. You have one of the most humorous ways of writing that I have ever read. Maybe a complete stranger wouldn't appreciate it as much as I do, but let me tell you. Your posts almost always make me at least smile, if not break out in giggles. :lol:

Can't wait to get together in a couple of weeks. We are going to have a great time.

Oh, and BTW, I can highly recommend the 70-200VR. What are a few missed meals compared to one of the best lenses you'll ever own? :wink:

The devil put a 70-200 VR VR VR and tele-converter and and and and, in my buy cart at B&amp;H.. Don't know how to get them out.

You guys are soooooo bad.

I'm going to be in the poorer house.

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Gale, we all have to go through this from time to time. Fortunately, in my case it comes in waves, so I (or better my account) have time to recover. At the moment, though, I'm in grave danger again, a nice 85mm PC cast a smile at me and I'm afraid I will not be able to resist - unless my wife chimes in with some of her verbal antidotes.
cheers

I know that this sounds daft but it REALLY looks like some type of ARTICHOKE. In fact had it been blue, i would have said it was one.

Try looking at the Carduus species, and MUSK or NODDING THISTLES. Could be about right.

BW. Bob F

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Hi Bob!
How are you doing?
Artichoke was my first thought, too, but it's too small for that. Really looks like some Carduus species, but definitely not C. nutans, which BTW, I know very well because it was one of the subjects of my first thesis (many beetles feed on and develop in that plant).

Frank,
Nice sequence! You are showing numerous stages of the flower bud opening into the the full "flower", actually a head of flowers. Each individual "thing" in an individual flower. Since I can't see all of the plant, it is a thistle, but which genus I cannot ascertain. A fantastic group of shots!
My best,
Jerry Snider

You guys were close when you thought it looked like an artichoke...the artichoke is in the thistle family. If you've ever been to Castroville, CA where they grow them and you've seen one fully opened,you'd know why!!! OOOH,,,yummmy, all I need is some melted butter.

I hate to disagree with other peoples IDs especially if they live in the continent in question, but I am really not sure if C.arvense is correct.

Let me explain. A lot of what I see taken and shown on the 'cafe' is strange to me, but as Harry S will confirm; if you have a reasonable knowledge of something then you can generally get close to what it MAY BE. So when somebody says that it is a ---- I look it up on the web. This is one way I learn about American species. So I have looked up C. arvense and there is a massive difference between this and what I am seeing. Look at the bracts below the flower. On C. arvense they are not as prominent as with this flower. Hence my first thought that it was an artichoke. The bracts are always visible whatever stage of the flower is in.

Obviously I stand to be corrected but I am loathe to ID something unless I am very sure. This was a lesson I learnt very early in my N.H.Photographers career. I was shot down in flames by an entomologist at Oxford Scientific Films; who later went on to work at the Smithsonian in the USA, and since then I have been ultra careful.

I hate to disagree with other peoples IDs especially if they live in the continent in question, but I am really not sure if C.arvense is correct.

Let me explain. A lot of what I see taken and shown on the 'cafe' is strange to me, but as Harry S will confirm; if you have a reasonable knowledge of something then you can generally get close to what it MAY BE. So when somebody says that it is a ---- I look it up on the web. This is one way I learn about American species. So I have looked up C. arvense and there is a massive difference between this and what I am seeing. Look at the bracts below the flower. On C. arvense they are not as prominent as with this flower. Hence my first thought that it was an artichoke. The bracts are always visible whatever stage of the flower is in.

Obviously I stand to be corrected but I am loathe to ID something unless I am very sure. This was a lesson I learnt very early in my N.H.Photographers career. I was shot down in flames by an entomologist at Oxford Scientific Films; who later went on to work at the Smithsonian in the USA, and since then I have been ultra careful.

FLEW could well be right but I am just not sure.

BW. Bob F.

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Dang Bob, you are a stickler for accuracy. 8)

You are probably right though, and I probably jumped the gun on the ID. The first pictures that I looked at on a web site were not very good, and I made the ID from them. Should have looked further.

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